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STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 
DEPARTMENT  OF  REGISTRATION  AND  EDUCATION 

A.  M.  SHELTON,  Director 

DIVISION  OF   THE 

STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

M.  M.    LEIGHTON,  Chief 
REPORT  OF  INVESTIGATIONS-NO.   8 

PRELIMINARY  REPORT  ON  THE  ECONOMIC 

MINERAL  RESOURCES  OF  CALHOUN 

COUNTY 

BY 
J.   E.   LAMAR 


PRINTED  BY  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS 
1926 


STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 
DEPARTMENT  OF  REGISTRATION  AND  EDUCATION 

A.  M.  SHELTON.  Director 

DIVISION  OF  THE 

STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

M.  M.  LEIGHTON.  Chief 


Committee  of  the  Board  of  Natural  Resources 
and  Conservation 

A.  M.  Shelton,  Chairman 

Director    of   Registration    and    Education 

Kendric  C.  Babcock 

Representing    the    President    of   the   Uni- 
versity of  Illinois 

Edsox  S.  Bastin 
Geologist 


Schnepp  &  Barnes,  Printers 

springfield,  ill. 

1926 

45674 — 2500 


PRELIMINARY  REPORT  ON  THE  ECONOMIC 

MINERAL  RESOURCES  OE 

CALHOUN  COUNTY 

By  J.   E.  Lamar 
OUTLINE 

PAGE 

Introduction 5 

Topography    5 

Geologic    structure    6 

Stratigraphy    6 

Economic  mineral  resources    6 

Limestone     6 

General    statement 6 

Uses  of  limestone 11 

Method's  of   obtaining  limestone 12 

Choosing  a  quarry  site 12 

Limestone  resources  of  Calhoun  County 13 

Limestone  and  shale  for  cement 13 

Limestone  for  crushed  stone 15 

Road   material 15 

Concrete  aggregate  and   ballast 15 

High  calcium  limestone  for  flux,  alkali  works,  high  calcium  lime, 

and    agricultural    limestone 15 

Dolomite  for  flux,  dolomitic  lime,  and  agricultural  limestone.  ...  15 

Building  stone  and  decorative  stone 15 

Rip-rap    15 

Shales  for  brick  and  tile 16 

Clay  for  refractories,  stoneware,  sanitary  ware,  terra  cotta,  and  brick  and 

tile    16 

Coal 19 

Sand  and  gravel 19 

Phosphates     20 

Oil  and  gas 21 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

I'll.  USE 

1.  Map  of  Calhoun  County  showing  lowlands  and  hill  country 4 

2.  Graphs  showing  the  1923  production  of  limestone   in  the  United   States 

according  to  the  major   (A)   and  minor   (B)    uses 11 

3.  Abandoned  fire  clay  pit  at  Golden  Eagle 17 

TABLES 

1.  Descriptive  geology  of  Calhoun  County 7 

2.  Partial  analyses  of  shales  and  limestones  from  Calhoun  County 14 

3.  Sieve  analyses  of  the  St.  Peter  sandstone  at  Dogtown  Landing 20 

3 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL   RESOURCES    OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 


l<  I2W. 


K.lW. 


Fig.  1.    Map  of  Calhoun  County  showing  lowlands  and  hill  country 


INTRODUCTION 

Calhoun  County  is  located  in  the  western  part  of  Illinois  about  15  miles 
northwest  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  On  the  north  it  is  bounded  by  Pike 
County,  on  the  east  by  Illinois  River  and  on  the  south  and  west  by  Missis- 
sippi River.  Hardin,  with  a  population  of  about  TOO,  is  the  county  seat 
and  largest  town  in  the  county.  Kampsville  is  next  largest  and  has  a  popu- 
lation of  about  425.  Hamburg,  Mosier,  Brussels  and  Batchtown  follow  in 
order  of  size,  each  having  approximately  300  inhabitants.  In  1920,  accord- 
ing to  the  U.  S.  Census  reports,  the  total  population  of  the  county  was  8,245. 

The  hilly  parts  of  Calhoun  County  have  long  been  noted  for  their 
splendid  apples  and  peaches,  and  the  flats  of  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers 
for  their  large  crops  of  corn  and  other  grain. 

For  many  years  Calhoun  County  has  been  known  as  "the  county  without 
a  railroad".  At  the  present  time,  however,  there  is  considerable  interest 
in  the  possibility  of  the  construction  of  a  railroad  in  the  county.  This  re- 
port has  been  prepared  in  order  to  acquaint  prospective  capital  and  the 
public  at  large  with  the  mineral  resources  of  the  county  and  in  response  to 
requests  from  those  interested  in  its  development.  It  is  based  upon  the 
observations  of  a  reconnaissance  field  study,  upon  all  available  pertinent  in- 
formation in  the  Survey  files,  and  upon  reports  already  published.1  The 
topographic  mapping  of  Calhoun  County  is  now  in  progress  and  upon  its 
completion  the  detailed  study  of  the  geology  and  economic  resources  will 
be  undertaken. 

TOPOGRAPHY 

Calhoun  County  may  be  divided  into  two  topographic  units,  the  low- 
lands and  the  hill  country.  The  former  are  the  flood  plain  tracts  adjoining 
Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  and  vary  in  width  from  a  few  hundred 
feet  to  a  maximum  of  about  -A  miles  (fig.  1).  Lying  between  the  flood 
plains  of  the  two  rivers  is  the  rock  backbone  or  hill  country  which  ranges 
from  2  to  9  miles  in  width,  but  over  the  southern  three-fourths  of  the 
county  averaging  about  3  miles.  It  is  topographically  mature.  The  margin 
of  the  uplands  is  generally  a  bluff  or  scarp  with  rock  commonly  exposed 
in  its  upper  portion,  and  much  dissected  by  numerous  valleys  and  gullies 
cutting  back  into  the  uplands.  Where  the  rivers  are  close  to  or  are  eroding 
the  bluffs,  the  latter  are  commonly  precipitous  and  in  places  show  almost  con- 


1  Kiev,    Frank,    Structural    reconnaissance    of    the    Mississippi    Valley    Area    from 
Old  Monroe,  Missouri   to  Nauvoo,   Illinois:      Illinois   State  Geol.   Survey  Bull.   45,   1924. 

Krey,    Frank,    and   Lamar,    J.    E.,    Limestone    resources   of   Illinois:      Illinois    State 
Geol.   Survey   Bull.    4fi,   1925. 

Weller.  Stuart,  Geology  of  southern  Calhoun   County:     Illinois  Geol.   Survey   Bull. 
4,  p.    219,    1907. 

5 


6  ECONOMIC    MINERAL    KKSOCKCES    OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 

tinuous  rock  outcrops  for  150  Eeet  or  more  above  the  level  of  the  flood 
plain.  The  southern  part  of  the  county,  particularly  that  underlain  by  Penn- 
sylvania!] beds,  is  lower  than  the  northern  part,  chiefly  because  the  Penn- 
sylvanian  rocks  are  less  resistant  to  erosion  than  the  older  beds  underlying 
the  county  elsewhere. 

GEOLOGIC  STRUCTURE 

The  most  striking  structural  feature  of  Calhoun  County  is  the  great 
Cap-au-Gres  fault  which  extends  in  the  direction  E.  5  S.  across  the  county 
from  Dogtown  Landing  in  the  SW.  cor.  sec.  29,  T.  12  S.,  R.  2  W.,  to  a 
point  just  south  of  the  village  of  Meppen,  and  thence  into  Jersey  County 
where  it  passes  into  a  monoclinal  fold.  The  upthrow  side  of  the  fault  is 
on  the  north.  On  the  west  side  of  Calhoun  County  the  relative  displace- 
ment of  the  beds  along  the  fault  plane  is  about  700  feet;  on  the  east  side 
of  the  county  the  displacement  is  considerably  less.  In  the  vicinity  of  the 
fault  plane  the  strata  are  bent  to  nearly  vertical  positions.  However,  at  a 
relatively  short  distance  away  from  the  fault  the  beds  become  almost^  flat 
and,   except   for  minor  local   flexures,   have   in   general   a  gentle  dip   to  the 

northeast. 

STRATIGRAPHY 

Because  of  the  Cap-au-Gres  fault  and  subsequent  erosion  a  great 
many  formations  which  would  not  normally  outcrop  in  Calhoun  County  are 
exposed  in  a  limited  area.  Considering  the  county  as  a  whole  the  exposed 
formations  range  in  age  from  lower  (  (rdovician  to  Pennsylvania!!.  Table  1 
gives  in  such  detail  as  the  data  at  hand  affords,  the  geologic  sequence,  litho- 
logic  character,  area  of  outcrop  and  approximate  thickness  of  the  forma- 
tions exposed  in  Calhoun  County. 

ECONOMIC  MINERAL  RESOURCES 

The  potential  mineral  resources  of  Calhoun  County  are  limestone,  dolo- 
mite, shale,  sand,  gravel,  clay,  coal,  phosphates  and  oil  and  gas.     Of  thi 
the   limestone   resources   seem   to   be   the   most    valuable   and   the   most    ex- 
tensive.    No  economically  valuable  metallic  mineral  deposits  are  known  to . 

exist  in  the  county. 

Limestone 

general  statement 

Limestone  is  an  important  member  of  the  large  -roup  known  as  sedi- 
mentary rocks.  As  the  name  implies  these  rocks  have  keen  formed  by  the.' 
consolidation  of  sediments,  which  in  the  case  of  limestones  were  calcareous 
muds,  shells  and  other  calcareous  organic  remains,  either  whole  or  frag- 
mentary.    The  chief  force  acting  in  this  consolidation  was  pressure.     Chem- 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL    RESOURCES   OF    CALHOUN    COUNTY 


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ECONOMIC    MINEBAL    RESOURCES   OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 


11 


ically,  limestone  is  composed  chiefly  of  calcium  carbonate.  Dolomite,  a 
rock  akin  to  limestone,  also  has  calcium  carbonate  as  a  major  chemical  con- 
stitutent ;  but,  in  addition,  contains  magnesium  carbonate  which  may  com- 
prise as  much  as  about  45  per  cent  of  the  rock.  Dolomites  are,  in  fact, 
sometimes  called  magnesian  limestones.  Physically,  they  are  usually  mix- 
tures of  the  minerals  dolomite  and  calcite.  Marble  is  a  crystalline  rock 
resulting  from  the  metamorphism  of   limestone  or    dolomite.      The    term 


Buildiiis  >tone.. . 

Agriculture 

Rip-rap 

Alkali  works 

Lime 

Flux 

Portland  cement. 
Crushed  stone 


A 


10 


15 


20  25 

Millions  ol  short  Ions 


30 


40 


Stucco 

Whiting  substitute 

Magnesia  works 

Glas>  works 

Refractories 

Paper  mills 

Natural  cement 

Asphalt  filler 

Calcium  carbide  work 

Rubble 

Sugar  factories 


B 

I                           I                           I                           I 

100 


400 


500 


200  300 

Thousands  of  short  tons 

Fig.  2.    Graph  showing  the  1923  production  of  limestone  in  the  United  States, 
according  to  the  major  (A)  and  minor  (B)  uses. 

"marble"  as  used  in  trade  parlance,  however,  includes  not  only  stone  of 
the  sort  just  mentioned  but  also  any  limestone  or  dolomite  which  when 
polished  has  a  pleasing  color  and  texture,  making  it  suitable  for  building 
purposes  or  for  interior  decoration. 

USES    OF   LIMESTONE 

Limestone  is  a  basic  raw  material  for  a  great  many  important  indus- 
tries.    In    1923   the   total   limestone  used    for   all   purposes   in  the   United 


12  ECONOMIC    MINERAL    RESOURCES   OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 

States  was  II!),  775,  360  short  tons.-  Of  this  amount  i:>.n;  I.immi  tons  were 
used  for  making  Portland  cement,  natural  cement,  and  lime.  The  major 
and  principal  minor  uses  of  limestone  are  shown  in  figure  2.  Limestone  is 
also  used  in  aluminum  refining,  in  making  carbon  dioxide,  in  rock-dusting 
coal  mines,  for  roofing  gravel,  poultry  grit,  rubber  and  fertilizer  filler,  a>  a 
plaster  finish  and  in  the  manufacture  of  mineral  wool.  In  this  report  only 
the  major  uses  of  limestone  will  be  discussed.  For  further  details  on  the 
uses  of  limestone  the  reader  is  referred  to  a  survey  bulletin  describing  the 
limestone  resources  of  Illinois.3 

METHODS   OF   OBTAINING   LIMESTONE 

Operations  in  limestone  deposits  such  as  are  found  in  Calhoun  County 
may  be  divided  into  two  classes,  quarrying  or  operations  aboveground, 
and  mining,  or  operations  underground.  A  mine  or  quarry  face  may  be 
worked  as  a  single  face  or  in  two  or  more  levels  or  benches.  If  the 
stone  from  any  given  bench  is  removed  separately  for  a  definite  pur- 
pose, the  procedure  is  known  as  selective-quarrying  or  mining,  as  the  case 
may  be.  In  general  quarrying  is  preferred  for  quantity  production  of  stone, 
but  where  the  overburden  is  very  heavy,  mining  is  often  cheaper  and  more 
expedient. 

In  Calhoun  County  the  thicker  limestones  such  as  the  Joachim,  Kimms- 
wick,  Plattin,  Burlington,  Keokuk,  and  St.  Louis  can  doubtless  be  quarried 
in  places  in  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  river  bluff.  Mining  may  be  desirable 
in  most  cases  wdiere  the  thinner  limestones  are  to  be  worked,  or  in  selective 
working  of  the  thicker  limestones. 

CHOOSING   A   QUARRY   SITE 

Assuming  that  due  consideration  has  been  given  to  such  matters  as 
markets  and  their  demands,  the  amount  and  kind  of  competition  to  be  met, 
transportation,  freight  rates  and  availability  of  rolling  stock,  the  next  step 
is  to  secure  the  services  of  a  competent  quarry  engineer  who  will  make  a 
detailed  study  of  the  proposed  site,  in  order  to  determine  whether  rock  could 
be  produced  at  a  cost  which  would  warrant  the  erection  of  the  plant  at  that 
point  and  advise  as  to  the  location  of  the  quarry  and  crushing  plant  and 
the  best  methods  of  quarrying  or  mining.  Almost  every  quarry  site  has 
problems  of  development  or  operation  peculiar  to  itself  and  forehanded  con- 
sideration of  these  often  saves  time  and  expense  at  later  dates. 


2  Loughlin,   G.  F.  and  Coons,    A.   T..   Stone:     TT.  S.  Geol.   Survey    Mineral   Resources, 
1923,  Pt.  II,   i>.   219-226,   1924. 

3  Krey,  Frank,  and  Lamar.  J.  E.,  The  limestone  resources  of  Illinois:      Illinois  State 
Geological   Survey   Bull.    4G,    19  25. 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL    RESOURCES   OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY  13 

LIMESTONE    RESOURCES    OF    CALHOUN     COUNTY 
LIMESTONE    AND    SHALE    FOR    CEMENT 

The  raw  materials  from  which  Portland  cement  is  made  vary  somewhat 
according  to  the  source  of  supply  at  hand.  However,  in  general,  the  raw 
cement  mix  consists  of  about  75  per  cent  of  calcium  carbonate,  20  per  cent  of 
silica,  alumina  and  iron  oxide,  and  5  per  cent  of  various  minor  constituents 
such  as  magnesia,  sulphur  and  alkalies.  The  calcium  carbonate  is  com- 
monly secured  in  the  form  of  limestone  and  the  silica  and  alumina  as  clay 
or  shale.  In  some  cases  both  the  calcareous,  siliceous,  and  aluminous  ma- 
terial are  found  combined  in  an  impure  variety  of  Hmestone  known  as  "ce- 
ment rock." 

In  the  case  of  the  limestone  to  be  used  for  making  cement  the  mag- 
nesia content  is  of  vital  importance.  The  United  States  government  speci- 
fications for  Portland  cement  permit  5  per  cent  of  magnesia  in  the  cement.4 
It  is  therefore  necessary  that  the  total  amount  of  magnesia  in  the  raw  ma- 
terials, that  is,  the  limestone  and  clay  or  shale,  shall  be  as  low  as  3  or  4 
per  cent  to  allow  for  changes  in  the  proportions  of  the  respective  constituents 
of  the  cement  mix  during  burning.  The  same  specifications  permit  up  to  2 
per  cent  of  sulphur  trioxide.  The  principal  source  of  sulphur  in  the  raw  ma- 
terials of  the  cement  mix  is  pyrite  or  iron  sulphide.  This  mineral  is  un- 
desirable and  should  not  be  present  save  in  very  small  amounts. 

Sand  and  chert  except  in  small  amounts  are  also  undesirable  in  a 
cement  mix.  Before  being  burned  the  raw  mix  must  be  finely  ground. 
Sand  and  chert  are  difficult  to  grind  fine,  but  unless  they  are  well  pulverized, 
they  cause  a  rise  in  the  fusion  point  of  the  cement  mix  and  necessitate  more 
intense  heating  to  form  the  desired  clinker. 

The  clay  or  shale  used  in  the  cement  mix  should  have  a  low  magnesia 
content  in  order  that  the  total  amount  of  magnesia  shall  not  exceed  the  3 
or  4  per  cent  permissible  in  the  raw  materials.  It  is  commonly  secured 
from  the  overburden  on  the  limestone  which  is  being  quarried,  from  under- 
lying or  interbedded  shales,  or  from  near  by  clay  or  shale  deposits. 

Calhoun  County  contains  a  great  deal  of  limestone  suitable  for  fur- 
nishing the  calcium  carbonate  content  of  the  cement  mix.  In  general  the 
Kimmswick.  the  Sexton  Creek,  the  non-cherty  Burlington-Keokuk,  the  St. 
Louis  and  parts  of  the  Devonian  limestones  (see  Table  2)  are  sufficiently 
low  in  magnesia  and  other  impurities  to  make  very  desirable  limestones 
for  cement  manufacturing  purposes.  Also  worthy  of  consideration  is  the 
Pennsylvania!!  limestone  capping  the  divides  in  the  southern  end  of  the 
county.  It  is  a  hard,  dense,  bluish-gray  stone  and  is  underlain  by  a  choco- 
late colored  shale.     It  is  probably  not  over  20  feet  thick.     No  analyses  of 

*  Bureau  of  Standards   Circular   33,    3d   edition,   p.    27,    1917. 


14 


ECONOMIC    MINEBAL   BESOtTBOES    OF    (  AI.UOIW    COUNTY 


the   limestone   or   shale    are   available   but   the   combination   holds    potential 

The  analyses  of  the  Hannibal  and  Maquoketa  shales  show  considerable 
variation  in  the  amount  of  magnesia  present,  especially  in  the  Maquoketa. 
It  seems  likely  that  the  Hannibal  shale  might  be  used  successfully  with  a 
high-calcium,  low-magnesia  limestone  for  cement  making.  However,  its 
use  would  necessitate  very  careful  control  of  the  magnesia  in  the  raw 
mix  to  prevent  over  5  per  cent  in  the  finished  product,  the  Maquoketa 
shale  is  also  potentially  of  value  for  use  in  a  cement  mix,  providing  detailed 
sampling  and  analyses  show  it  to  be  sufficiently  low  in  magnesia  and  con- 
stant in  this  characteristic. 

Table  impartial  analyses  of  shales  and  UmestonesJromCal^^  


Formation 


1.  Hannibal  shale 

2.  Hannibal   shale 


Location 


Magnesium 
oxide 
(MgO) 


3.  Maquoketa  shale    . . . 

4.  Maquoketa  shale    . .  . 

5.  Chouteau    limestone. 

6.  Devonian    limestone. 

7.  Sexton     Creek     lime 

stone    

8.  Burlington-Keokuk 

limestone    ........ 


About  2  miles  north  of  Hardin.. 
About  3  miles  east  of  Mississippi! 

River     on     east-west     road     to 

Kampsville    | 

Lower   part   of   Mississippi    River 

bluffs  south  of  Gilead | 

Upper    part    of    Mississippi    Riveri 

bluff  south   of  Gilead ' 

Along  road  up  bluff  west  of  Har-1 

din     

River  bluff  north   of  Hardin 

About   %   mile  south  of  Hamburg 

Same  location  as  No.  5 


3.53 

2.88 
9.79 
3.56 


Calcium 
Carbonate 
CaCOa 


5.56 

77.00 

0.34 

93.38 

0.27 

98.18 

0.45 

95.30 

No  data  are  available  concerning  the  suitability  of  the  Pennsylvania!! 
shales  for  cement.  However,  where  they  are  easily  available  together  w.th 
limestone  they  are  worthy  of  intensive  analysis  and  possible  consideration. 
An  additional  possible  source  of  argillaceous  material  for  the  raw 
cement  mix  are  surficial  clays.  No  chemical  data  are  available  for  these 
deposits  but  it  is  believed  that  some  of  the  loess  or  river  bottom  clays 
may  possibly  be  sufficiently  low  in  magnesia  to  be  of  value. 

'  Because  of  the  seeming  likelihood  of  variations  in  the  magnesia  con- 
tent of  shales  and  possibly  in  some  of  the  limestones,  carefu  testing  of 
properties  by  core  drilling  and  chemical  analysis  of  samples  taken  at  fre- 
quent intervals  from  these  cores  is  advised  in  attempting  to  determine  the 
value  of  a  given  site  as  a  source  of  raw  materials  for  cement  manufacture. 


K(  ONOMIC    MINERAL    BESOTJHOBS    OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY  15 

LIMESTONE  FOB  CRUSHED   STONE 

Road  material. — The  St.  Louis,  Burlington-Keokuk,  Chouteau,  Sex- 
ton Creek,  Plattin  and  Joachim  limestones  will  doubtless  be  satisfactory  for 
macadam  roads  or  concrete  pavements.  It  should  be  pointed  out  that  the 
Joachim  is  butt  in  places,  the  Plattin  locally  shaly,  and  the  Chouteau  locally 
cherty.  There  used  to  be  and  probably  still  is,  in  a  measure,  a  prejudice 
against  buff  stone  and  though  the  Joachim  is  not  strikingly  buff-colored,  its 
use  might  be  limited  by  reason  of  this  characteristic.  The  shale  in  the 
Plattin  is  largely  in  the  upper  portion,  and  probably  could  be  avoided  by 
the  proper  selection  of  a  quarry  site.  The  chert  in  the  Chouteau  and  the 
Burlington-Keokuk  could  be  avoided  by  hand-loading  the  stone  in  quarrying, 
and  discarding  the  chert  during  the  process.  The  Burlington-Keokuk  and 
Kimmswick  limestones  are  probably  too  soft  to  meet  specifications  as  ag- 
gregate for  concrete  roads,  but  doubtless  would  be  satisfactory  for  water- 
bound  macadam  roads. 

Concrete  Aggregate  and  Ballast. — Any  of  the  limestones  mentioned 
under  road  materials  are  suitable  for  concrete  aggregate  or  ballast. 

HIGH    CALCIUM    LIMESTONE    FOR   FLUX,    ALKALI    WORKS,    HIGH    CALCIUM    LIME,    AND 
AGRICULTURAL    LIMESTONE 

The  non-cherty  beds  in  the  Burlington-Keokuk,  the  Kimmswick,  the 
Sexton  Creek,  and  probably  the  St.  Louis,  would  furnish  limestone  for 
these  purposes.  (See  analyses,  Table  2.)  Flux  stone  commonly  contains 
over  90  per  cent  calcium  carbonate,  less  than  3  per  cent  silica  and  is  free 
from  pyrite,  alumina,  phosphorus,  and  organic  impurities  except  in  very 
small  amounts.  Limestones  burned  for  lime  commonly  have  over  97  per 
cent  combined  carbonates.  Agricultural  limestone  and  alkali  works  also 
generally  require  a  limestone  of  high  carbonate  content. 

DOLOMITE  FOR  FLUX,   DOLOMITIC   LIME,   AND  AGRICULTURAL  LIMESTONE 

The  Plattin  and  Joachim  dolomites  are  possible  sources  of  stone  for 
these  purposes. 

BUILDING    STONE    AND    DECORATIVE    STONE 

It  is  probable  that  very  little  limestone  in  Calhoun  County  can  compete 
with  the  Bedford  limestone  of  Indiana  for  exterior  construction  purposes. 
However,  for  use  as  domestic  marble,  for  interior  decoration,  a  very  at- 
tractive stone  might  be  secured  from  the  coarsely  crystalline  or  granular 
white  Burlington  limestone  where  it  is  locally  streaked  or  stained  yellow 
by  iron  hydroxide  and  from  the  Kimmswick  which  is  also  crystalline  or 
granular  and  locally  greenish  or  pink. 

RIP-RAP 

Any  of  the  Calhoun  County  limestones  are  suitable  for  rip-rap,  par- 
ticularly those  portions  of  the  formations  which  are  dense,  massive,  and  free 
from  shale  partings. 


16  ECONOMIC   MINERAL   RESOURCES    OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 

Shales  for  Brick  and  Tile 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  county  a  yellow  or  greenish-yellow  Pennsyl- 
vanian  shale  which  lies  above  the  coal  bed  was  at  one  time  a  source  of  raw 
material  for  the  manufacture  of  pressed  brick  for  building  purposes.  The 
product  is  reported  to  be  of  high  quality.  The  chocolate  shale  near  the  top 
of  the  Pennsylvanian  is  also  probably  of  such  quality  as  to  make  a  good 
building  brick. 

The  Kinderhook  shales.,  particularly  the  Hannibal  shale,  and  the 
Maquoketa  shale  have  a  rather  wide  distribution  over  the  county.  Such 
tests  as  have  been  made  indicate  that  the  Maquoketa  will  probably  make 
satisfactory  building  brick,  hut  that  the  Kinderhook  shales  are  of  doubtful 
value.5  In  many  places  the  Maquoketa  .'-hale  is  topographically  located  so 
as  to  offer  favorable  sites  for  open  pit  workings  or  favorable  conditions  for 
mining. 

Clay  for  Refractories,  Stoneware,  Sanitary  Ware,  Terra  Cotta, 

and  Brick  and  Tile 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  north  of  Belleview,  the  loess  on 
some  of  the  ridges  is  underlain  by  a  gray  or  white  clay,  10  feet  or  more  in 
thickness.  A  similar  clay  is  reported  near  Hamburg.  The  exact  age  of  the 
deposit  is  not  known  hut  it  is  thought  to  be  younger  than  any  of  the  con- 
solidated formations  in  the  county  and  is  tentatively  regarded  as  Tertiary 
in  age.  Tests  made  by  the  Ceramics  Department  of  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois on  samples  of  this  clay  from  the  SW.  ^4  sec.  <i,  T.  8  S.,  R.  •'>  VVj 
showed  that  in  general  the  clay  tested  might  he  used  for  the  manufacture 
of  refractories  intended  for  a  moderate  amount  of  service,  and  for  mak- 
ing stoneware,  terra  cotta  and  sanitary  ware.  One  sample  possessed  very 
refractory  properties,  high  strength  and  low  porosity  and  is  of  interest  as  a 
crucible  body  and  glass  house  refractory  clay. 

For  the  most  part  the  samples  tested  were  taken  from  the  upper  part  of 
the  clay  deposit  and  the  results  are  therefore  suggestive  rather  than  demon- 
strative of  what  the  deposit  as  a  whole  might  test.  The  wide  variation 
shown  between  certain  of  the  samples  suggests  that  there  may  he  two  or 
more  kinds  of  clay  present  and  also  indicates  the  importance  of  selective 
testing  and  the  possible  desirability  of  selective  working  of  the  various 
grades  of  clay  in  the  deposit. 

The  overburden  on  the  clay  consists  of  loess  from  30  to  40  feet  in 
thickness.  Locally  a  thin  bed  of  chert  gravel  overlies  the  clay.  By  picking 
a  site  topographically  favorable  it  may  he  possihlc  to  work  the  clay  hy 
the  open  pit  method. 


'Weller,  Stuart,   Geology  of  southern  Calhoun  County:    Illinois  State  Geol.  Survey 
Bull.    4,    i>.    I1:::'.    1006. 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL    RESOURCES   OF    CALHOUN    COUNTY  17 

A  large  part  of  the  southern  tip  of  Calhoun  County  is  underlain  hy  the 
fire  clay  beneath  No.  2  coal.  This  clay  has  been  correlated  with  the  Chel- 
tenham clay  of  the  St.  Louis  district.  The  fact  that  the  clay  is  overlain 
by  the  No.  2  coal  which  is  about  two  feet  thick  adds  materially  to  the 
value  of  the  deposit,  inasmuch  as  the  coal  bed  may  be  worked  with  it 
at  a  comparatively  small  additional  cost  and  will  furnish  at  least  a  part  of  the 
fuel  needed  for  burning  the  clay  products.  Except  in  very  favorable 
topographic   locations,   the   coal   and   clay   will    probably   have   to   be   mined. 


jdfflm?'  Ik.  *itffr 


■ 


Fig.  3.    Abandoned  fire  clay  pit  at  Golden  Eagle. 

In  1906,  The  Thomas  Brick  and  Clay  Company  of  St.  Louis  were 
operating  a  brick  plant  at  Golden  Eagle,  capable  of  producing  25,000  to 
30,000  brick  daily,  which  were  sold  as  St.  Louis  No.  1  fire  brick.5  The 
bricks  were  loaded  into  cars  ferried  from  and  to  railroad  connections  at 
Grafton,  Illinois  or  Peruque,  Missouri.  The  operations  have  since  been  dis- 
continued (fig.  3).    The  upper  5  feet  of  the  clay  were  worked. 

The  results  of  tests  made  on  a  sample  of  the  clay  from  a  pile  dug 
some  years  ago,  but  at  the  time  of  sampling  still  fresh  and  in  good  condition, 
are  as  follows  :G 


8  Parmelee,    C.    W.    and    Schroyer,    C.    R.:      Further    investigations    of    Illinois    fire 
clays,   Illinois   State   Geological   Survey   Bull.    38,   pp.    349-350,    1922. 


18 


ECONOMIC   MINERAL   RESOURCES   OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 


RESULTS    OF    TESTS 
CALHOUN    COUNTY 

Sample  No.  58 
(Abandoned    plant   at   Golden   Eagle) 
This   is   very   hard   grayish   clay   which    contains    much    finely    divided    pyrite. 
Upon   the   addition   of  a   suitable  amount   of  water   it    develops   a   good   but   sticky 
degree  of  plasticity.     It  slakes  very  slowly. 

Water   of   plasticity    per  cent     .34.4 

Shrinkage   water    per  <-en t     25.5 

Pore  water    per  cent     i  g.9 

Modulus  of  rupture jbs.  per  sq.  in.  165.7 

With  50  per  cent  standard  sand — Modulus  of  rupture lbs.  per  sq.  in.  124.6 

Slaking  test  hours     5% 

Mesh  Residue  Character  of 

Per  cent  residue 
.50         Pyrites,   fine  sand  and 


120. 

150. 
200. 


particles  of  sand 

.09         Mica  and  sand 

.12         Pyrites,  sand,  clay  and 

organic  material 
Drying  shrinkage:  — 

Per    ei  ill 

Linear ;    wet   length    10.05 

Linear;    dry   length    11.6 

Burning  test:  — 

Burning 
Color  shrinkage  Remarks 

1'er  cent 

6.1  

Tan     6.0 

Buff    4.:! 


one 

Porosity 

Per  cent 

2 

10.0 

5 

5.2 

9 

7.0 

12 

5.0 

13 

7.0 

15 

5.5 

Small  black  core 
Black    core,    fine 
spots 


Buff  exterior:   bluestoned. 


Buff;    bluestoned 


5.0 
2.6 
2.8 


Flashed 
Overturned 


Fusion  test: — Cone  iA   deformed  at   cone  26.     The  cone  has  a  vesicular  structure. 

Summary 

This  clay  has  a  medium  low  strength  and  a  medium  low  bonding  strength. 
The  drying  shrinkage  is  medium  high.  The  effect  of  the  small  residue  of  finely 
divided  pyrite  becomes  evident  at  the  higher  temperatures,  especially  in  Ihe  fusion 
test.  Washing  the  clay  for  some  products  will  correct  this.  The  poor  oxidation 
conduct  should  be  noted.  The  clay  is  on  the  border  line  between  a  non-refractory 
and  a  refractory  material.  The  test  piece  has  the  appearance  of  having  been  over- 
fired  at  cone  15. 

Suggested  uses:      Architectural  terra   cotta,   face  brick. 

No  information  is  at  hand  concerning  clays  in  the  flood  plains  of  Mis- 
sissippi and  Illinois  rivers.  It  may  he  suggested,  however,  that  in  certain 
places   deposits   of   clay   suitable    for   making   building   brick    and   tile   may 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL    RESOURCES    OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 


19 


be  found  in  the  flood  plain  deposits  of  these  rivers.     The  same  may  be  true 
of  the  loess  on  the  uplands. 

Coal 

Although  the  strata  of  the  Pennsylvanian  system  total  about  120  feet 
in  thickness  in  southern  Calhoun  County,  they  contain  hut  three  beds  of 
coal,  only  one  of  which  is  workable.  This  bed  underlies  practically  the  en- 
tire area  of  Pennsylvanian  rocks  and  varies  from  24.  to  30  inches  in  thick- 
ness. It  is  too  thin  to  he  mined  profitably  except  in  limited  quantities  for 
local  consumption  or  in  connection  with  the  fire  clay  previously  mentioned. 
This  was  done  at  one  time  by  the  Thomas  Brick  and  Clay  Company  at 
Golden  Eagle  where  it  was  used  for  fuel  in  the  brick  kilns.  It  was  also 
mined  at  one  time  for  local  consumption  at  Fruitland  Landing  near  the 
center  of  sec.  6,  T.  14  S.,  R.  1   W. 

It  is  reported  that  recently  22  inches  of  coal  have  been  opened  up  in  a 
drift  mine  about  3  miles  southwest  of  Brussels.  The  coal  is  sold  locally 
and  is  said  to  be  of  good  quality. 

An  analysis  made  in  1909  of  the  coal  being  mined  in  connection  with 
the  clay  at  Golden  Eagle  is  as  follows : 


Analysis  of  coal  mined  at  Golden  Eagle 

Air 

dried  sample 

Sample 
as  received 

Moisture  free 

Air  drying  loss- 
Volatile  matter 

-4.38. 

6.53 
39.87 
41.47 
12.13 

5.19 
11,738 

10.62 
38.13 
39.65 
11.60 
4.96 
11,224 

42.67 

Fixed   carbon    . 

Ash    

Sulphur    

44.36 

12.97 

5.55 

B.   t.    U 

12.557 

Sand  and  Gravel 
In  southern  Calhoun  County,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Golden  Eagle, 
the  loess  is  underlain  by  a  deposit  of  LaFayette7  gravel  composed  of  chert, 
vein  quartz  and  quartzite  pebbles.  Because  of  the  fact  that  this  gravel 
is  for  the  most  part  covered  by  loess  its  thickness  is  not  known,  but  it  is 
probable  that  in  certain  favorable  topographic  positions  it  may  furnish 
small  amounts  of  gravel  and  also  that  local  concentrations  of  the  gravel 
in  stream  beds  may  furnish  limited  amounts.  It  is  also  possible  that  de- 
posits of  sand  and  gravel  may  be  found  in  places  in  the  flood  plains  of  Illi- 

'•  Weller,    Stuart,    Geology   of   southern    Calhoun    County,    Illinois    State    Geological 
Survey  Bull.  4,  p.  231,  190G. 


20 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL   RESOURCES   OF   CALHOUN    COUNTY 


nois  and  Mississippi  rivers  and  some  of  the  tributary  valleys,  but  specific 
deposits  of  this  type  have  not  been  reported. 

The  St.  Peter  sandstone  is  at  present,  according  to  the  data  available, 
the  most  obvious  source  of  sand  in  Calhoun  County.  It  is  more  firmly 
cemented  than  the  very  friable  St.  Peter  found  elsewhere  in  Illinois,  but 
it  can  readily  be  crushed.  It  contains  a  considerable  amount  of  iron  and  is 
mottled  or  "stained  yellow,  red.  and  brown  in  places.  Locally  it  is  also 
calcareous.  It  is  possible  that  the  presence  of  the  calcium  carbonate  and 
iron  oxide  in  the  sand  is  more  or  less  a  surficial  phenomenon  and  that 
the  sandstone  may  be  more  friable  and  contain  less  impurities  when  worked 
back  a  distance  from  the  outcrop.  The  formation  is  about  150  feet  thick. 
A  sieve  analysis  of  the  lower  50  feet  of  the  outcrop  at  Dogtown  Landing  is 
given  in  Table  3. 

Table  3.— Sieve  analysis  of  the  St.  Peter  sandstone  at  Dogtown  Lmdmg 


— =T 

Cumulative 

Size  of  sieve 

Per  cent  retained 

per  cent  retained 

28 

1 

1 

35 

3 

4 

48 

19 

23 

65 

36 

59 

100 

35 

94 

150 

5 

99 

200 

1 

too 

270 

Trace 

Pan 

Trace 

... 

The  sandstone  at  Dogtown  Landing  was  at  one  time  quarried,  and  the 
sand  crushed  and  shipped  to  Alton,  Illinois  by  barge,  where  it  is  reported 
to  have  been  used  for  making  glass. 

The  St.  Peter  sandstone,  despite  the  impurities  of  calcium  carbonate 
and  iron  oxide,  is  a  high  silica  sand  and  of  value  for  use  where  the  com- 
position of  the  grains  is  of  prime  importance  and  a  small  amount  of  im- 
purities permissible.  The  sand  could  doubtless  be  used  tor  making  bottle 
glass,  as  sand  blast  sand,  engine  sand,  friction  sand,  abrasive  sand,  building, 
plaster  and  mortar  sand  and  for  other  similar  uses. 

Phosphates 

The  phosphate  deposits  of  Calhoun  County  are  not  thought  to  be  com- 
mercially valuable  at  the  present  time.     Concerning  them  however,  Weller 

tat"The  phosphate  bed  immediately  above  the   Maquoketa  shale   is   worthy  of 
further  investigation  and  may  prove  to  be  of  considerable  economic  importance. 

— i ' 

8  Tdem,  p.  233. 


ECONOMIC    MINERAL   RESOURCES    OF    CALHOUN    COUNTY  21 

although  the  tests  so  far  made  are  not  promising.  It  is  at  essentially  the  same 
geologic  horizon  as  one  of  the  phosphate  beds  so  extensively  worked  in  the  south, 
and  if  it  should  prove  to  be  of  sufficient  extent  to  be  of  economic  value,  it  would 
become  a  valuable  addition  to  the  resources  of  the  county." 

Lead 

Lead  sulphide,  commonly  known  as  galena,  has  been  found  in  small 
quantities  but  no  deposits  of  commercial  importance  have  been  discovered. 

Oil  and  Gas 

The  principal  structure  which  might  favor  or  cause  the  accumulation 
of  oil  or  gas,  is  the  Cap-au-Gres  fault.  It  is  possible  that  during  the  faulting 
certain  reservoirs  or  beds  containing  oil  may  have  been  sealed  off  by  abut- 
ment against  some  impervious  shale  formation  or  by  clay  gouge  developed 
along  the  fault  plane.  However,  the  rock  formations  rise  to  the  west, 
and  in  Missouri  lower  and  lower  formations  are  exposed  successively  on 
the  south  side  of  the  fault  down  to  the  Kimmswick  limestone.  These  out- 
cropping beds,  which  include  practically  all  the  potential  oil  horizons  in 
Calhoun  County,  probably  permitted  any  oil  they  may  once  have  contained 
to  escape  unless  there  has  been  a  slight  reversal  in  the  rise  of  the  beds  to 
the  west.  The  evidence  at  hand  is  too  meager  to  warrant  any  definite  state- 
ments. 

Though  the  chances  for  obtaining  oil  or  gas  in  the  county  do  not  seem 
very  promising,  the  best  area  for  testing  is  probably  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Cap-au-Gres  fault  just  within  the  edge  of  the  region  of  pronounced 
folding  adjacent  to  and  resulting  from  the  fault.  This  locality,  however, 
has  not  been  included  in  the  Geological  Survey's  recommended  areas  for 
testing:.9 


8  Krey,  Frank,  Structural  reconnaissance  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  area  from 
Old  Monroe,  Missouri,  to  Nauvoo,  Illinois:  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey  Bull. 
45,   1924. 


CHLIVS" 

LIBRARY  BINDERS 

507  3.  Goodwin 

Urban*,  I1L 


